Lost in the Waves FinnickxAnnie
by BooBerry301
Summary: Otp right here. But yeah just the story of how Finnick and Annie first met. I might continue it. I dunno, it's a oneshot for now. My attempt at thinking like a 12 year old boy. Enjoy
1. The one day on the beach

I wrote this on my iPod in the middle of the night and fixed some of the words on my computer. I'm not good at checking for spelling and grammar. I need a beta, but for now here ya go.

~Booberry

I remember the first time I saw Annie Cresta. We were 12, I was out on the beach with my family. My dad was teaching me new knots, while my mom and baby sister collected seashells. It was a beautiful day, not too hot not too cool, the waves were so perfect. After I gave up on the complicated knot my father was trying to teach me, I took my little sister, Beth, into the shallow water.

Beth is the most adorable thing ever. Her bright red hair and green eyes are so vibrant, it's hard for her not to stand out. People say I look just like her, by I don't see it. I mean yeah I have red hair, but it's much more faded and dull. I do like my green eyes though, that's pretty much all I have going for me though.

"Finnick?" My mom calls out. "Don't take her too deep. I know you're a good swimmer, but she's just not ready ok?" She's always protecting her from the water, my mother doesn't want her to be a fisherman or to drive a boat. I honestly don't see why not. I mean its better than staying home and making nets all day long. "Don't worry, Mom, I got her. We won't go that deep." I groan.

A small wave comes in and splashes Beth. It brings out a small giggle in her. Heh maybe she'll want to be a mermaid. The thought brings a smile to my lips, but quickly fades away as I think of the opening ceremonies of the games. District 4 is always fish related, the girls are usually dressed up as mermaids. The thought of my fragile sister in the games brings a shiver through my spine.

This is my first year being eligible and I'm already worrying about my sister. District 4 is considered one of the Career districts. In the games tributes from District 1, 2, and sometimes 4 make an alliance against the other tributes. What makes them special is that they've been training for these games all their life. There are a few training centers here, but I never want to go and I don't think my parents want to send me.

Beth flops down on the wet sand after a slightly bigger wave hits us. It was enough to make her cry. Here comes the yelling. My mother rushes over to us and swiftly picks up Beth. "Finnick I told you not to go to deep, she's not strong enough against the waves!" She yells agitated.

"I wasn't that deep! It was just a strong wave, it's not my fault!" I yell back, tears threatening my eyes.

I can never take being yelled at by my mom. This wasn't even my fault! Why does she always blame me?

"Come on, dinners probably ready anyway" she mumbles with anger.

My mother grabs my wrist and drags me to our nearby house. It's not too large, but it's enough. Dinner wasn't very enjoyable, since there was so much tension. When I'm done I excuse myself to go for a walk.

The sun is setting right now, I gotta say it really is gorgeous. I suddenly think about the other districts like 12. I mean coal just sounds so solem. Just dark mines and poor citizens. Yes, I know that the other districts don't have as much access to food and money as we do. I'm lucky, I'll say that, but I'd much rather be anywhere instead of Panem.

My thoughts are interrupted by a loud shriek. I jump up with a start and notice a thrashing figure in the water. Without thinking I rip off my shirt and shoes and run into the water. I'm on my school's swim team, I'm actually pretty good. Freestyle 50s are my specialty, I'm not much of a long distinct swimmer, which is a bad thing considering this person is about 200 yards out. I pound my arms into the water as fast as I can as I watch the person slip under.

I reach them just in time to grab their wrist and pull them up. It's increasingly difficult to swim carrying another person and swim a 200 back exhausted, but I somehow manage to get to shore.

I pull them up onto the dry sand. Now that I get a good look I realize its a girl about my age, Annie Cresta. I've seen her school before, she has beautiful brown wavy hair and ocean blue eyes. I don't have time to think about her beauty as I realize she isn't breathing.

I realize I'm going to have to do mouth to mouth. Would this count as my first kiss? Shakily I open her mouth and put my lips to hers. I pump in as much air as possibly before doing chest compressions to move some of the water. Finally I hear a slight cough. I pull Annie up and she starts to cough up a bunch of water.

That was close. As soon as she sees me she clings onto my shoulders.

"T..tt...thank y..y..you" she says with a shaky breath. In response I just give her body a slight squeeze. After a minute or two we pull apart and I finally get to admire this girl.

She's so much more beautiful than I ever saw. Her hair even damp is beautiful, it's starting to go back into waves as it slowly dries up. Her cheeks are perfectly chiseled and covered in freckles, which make her even more cute. She has a perfect jaw line, her lips are now starting to go back to its pinkish color. But her eyes are what really stand out, they are the brightest blue I've ever seen, perfectly shaped and its just like looking into two deep pools.

What have I never noticed this girl before? She looked up with a small blush.

"Are you going to laugh at me for not being able to swim?" She said with a small twang in her voice.

"No, if you don't wanna swim, you don't have to swim. It's not your fault you live in District 4." I try to say as sincerely as possible.

"Well I want to swim, but no one will tea be me without thinking I'm joking." She says putting her head down slightly.

"I'll teach you." I say with contempt.

I've never really talked to her before, but I'll do anything to be near this girl again.

"Really!?" She squeals in delight

"Yeah sure. I don't want to impress you, but I just swam 400 yards and for 200 hundred of them I was carrying you." I say with a small smirk.

"What are you implying?" She says almost sassy.

"Nothing, I'm just saying I'm a good swimmer." nd I lay back putting my hands behind my scoffs at my comment, but it brings a smile to her face.

"Thank you" she says again with a newly added excitement to her voice.

"No problem" I reply back nonchalantly

But there is a problem. I can already tell I am in love with this girl.

**One shot for now. Might continue it as if Finnick never died. What do you think? I'll update The Sister of a Killer soon. Possibly tomorrow if I have time. reviews are always appreciated.**

**Edit: I am continuing. Next chapter should be up soon. I'm going to try and get a chapter up every week if possible. Thanks for reading.**


	2. The Pool

After I saved Annie, the next day at school I kept glancing over at her. She didn't notice me at all, it's like she completely zoned out. Weird. But then I realized the bell had rung and I had zoned out myself. Stay focused Finnick it's just a girl. I slowly get up out of my hard metal chair and make my way to lunch. FOOD THANK GOD I'M STARVING I DON'T CARE IF IT IS FISH AGAIN.

I run into the lunch line and grab a tray, apparently we're having fish bites today. District 4 has always found a way to make fish into different things, fish bits, fish broiled, sushi, I've even had fish lasagna, but I was too hungry to realize what it was. It makes me sick just thinking about.

Our angry lunch lady puts a handful of the greasy, deep-fried fish onto my tray and I grab some milk and bread.

Once I exit the line I see Annie again, sitting alone. A pang of guilt hits me. I ignore my friends pestering me to sit with them and cross across the lunchroom and sit down at the empty table right across from her. She only has some fruit and water on her tray. I must look like a pig.

"You don't have to sit with me." Annie's quiet voice squeaks out. I look up at her from my food, I see her pupils enlarged. A long time ago I read this book about how you could tell if someone was interested in you by their pupils. If they're really small they don't care, but if they're big then they're interested. She wants me stay, but she doesn't want to show it.

I've always thought science and human bodies were interesting, but there are no hospitals or doctors in the Districts so it wouldn't make much sense. I'm destined to be a fisherman.

"You looked lonely so I thought I'd keep you company. Besides we need to discuss when I'm going to teach you to swim."

"You weren't joking, huh?" She says with a little surprise

"Nope, Finnick Odair doesn't break a promise, the only thing is that it'll have to be in the evening since I have swim practice right after school for 2 hours, unless you wanna come watch. I can show you some of the strokes in the water." I say proudly.

"I'll have to run it by my sister, but I'm sure it'll be okay." She smiled

"Cool, so I'll see you after school?"

"Hopefully." She replied with a smile still on her lips

The bell rang just a second later and I get up and clean my tray. The rest of the day was boring, as usual. I couldn't stop thinking about swim practice today, not just because I'm itching to get into the water. No, I get to spend the evening with Annie, I'm just hoping she won't freak out when she gets in the water. I mean she did almost drown.

The final bell seems to take forever to ring. I gather up my books and head to my locker to pack up my backpack and grab my swim bag to change. The school has a pretty good indoor swimming pool with locker rooms, so most of my stuff stays dry. I go and change into my tight swim shorts.

I walk out of the locker as I always do, when I hear a quiet giggle. Annie. I turn around and notice the small girl holding back giggles.

"What?" I ask nonchalantly

"You really swim in that?" She giggled

"At least it's not a speedo" I smirk and walk away.

I can hear her still laughing on the bench while I start stretching. You don't to swim for 2 hours without stretching. Coach lines us up at the diving blocks and has us practice our categories. I swim in 50 Freestyle, Individual Medley, and 50 butterfly.

Might as well get medley out of the way.

I'm pretty good at butterfly, but backstroke is what always gets me. I always end up going way to slow or hitting the wall. I've tried counting my strokes and estimating when I get to the wall, but it just doesn't help. Breaststroke I'm okay at it, not the fastest, but I'm good enough not to fall behind. Then there's freestyle, my favorite. It's just natural to me, gliding through the water. Usually people racing freestyle pound their arms into the water as fast as they can, but I prefer to slow down a bit.

The movement underwater is more important than above. Flinging your arm in the air isn't going to help you go any faster, you're working with water, not air. Sometimes you just have to depend on the water and hope you don't get lost in the waves.

People say I go on and on about swimming, but it's all I really have. I mean my mom pretty much hates me, my friends don't hardly acknowledge me, nobody likes me. They never have and probably never will. So that's why I swim, it's what makes a person. I'm not just that person that's there, I'm Finnick Odair the fastest swimmer in school. Or at least that's what I try to think of myself as. Comparing myself to other people is not good for your self-esteem, but I can't help but do it anyway. Everyone's just so much better at everything, and I'm nothing.

I finally finish my medley and get out of the water. I look over and see shy, little Annie clapping.

"Can you show me how to do that one where you throw your arms over your head?" She asks.

"You mean butterfly? I dunno. Maybe after you learn the basics. It's pretty difficult, even for me" I smirk. She playfully hits my arm.

"But after we cover the basics, you'll teach me?" She asks. Oh god she's giving me puppy dog eyes. They remind me of Beth, and a pang of sadness hits me as I think of my mother. She probably won't let anyone teach her to swim. I was planning on teaching her anyway, but it might earn me a beating.

"Of course, I'll teach you everything I know." I reply with a saddened smile. After that I have to get back into to the water. Practice is hard today, but Annie being there actually helped. She was so fascinated by it all, I couldn't help but find it adorable.

I was planning on taking Annie down to the beach after practice to teach her, but I decide to ask my coach if we can swim in here instead. It's probably getting cold outside, not very enjoyable for you first day swimming.

"Hey coach! I got a question for ya!" I yell before he leaves the pool area.

"Whaddya need Odair?" He says a bit aggravated

"I was wondering if I could use the pool to teach Annie to swim."

"Psssh teach her to swim. Is that what they're calling it these days?" I feel a blush cross my cheeks at the comment.

"No sir. I jus-"

"I've never been able to swim, and Finnick was nice enough to offer to teach me" Annie interrupts, and I'm grateful she saved me from the embarrassment.

"Ehh fine, just don't do anything stupid. Also if you use any of the swimming put em back up. Mmmkay?" Coach says

****"No problem Coach, thank you!" I say as sincerely as possible. With that Coach leaves the pool, and it's just Annie and I.

**Here ya go! I took out the last part of the first chapter, so this would make more sense. Sorry this is taking so long. I'm trying to update every week if possible. I need to make a set day to update, so I make myself a deadline. I'm think Saturday. What do you guys think?**


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